Current and past students came from far and wide to reunite and live the experience one last time as a master, Guro Rick taught his last seminar as owner of Princeton Academy of Martial Arts. It was an excellent seminar, as all of us have become accustomed to as students of Rick. Taking advantage of the unseasonably beautiful weather, the attendees worked through various knife work drills outside in the sunshine. Later in the afternoon things progressed inside the Academy with knife disarms, tie-ups, and Rick guiding people to brainstorm their disarms issues, using it as learning experience for the students. The last elements covered were Kali/Silat entries and takedowns. There was much information shared but Rick’s intention, which he made clear, was to give the attendees something that they could take home, practice, and progress with.
The mood of the day was uplifting and high energy, one could feel the electricity about the room. The mood was blithe with over 50 attendees, many of which could not help reminisce throughout the day. And yes, at the closing there were some eyes welling. As I perused the group, watched Rick teach during the seminar, and spoke at closing to the group, it was difficult not to get teary and get choked up.
I believe that many others feel just as I do. It has been nothing more than magical. For almost 27 years Rick has made PAMA a place of solitude. Within a group one is truly alone with oneself while training. Uniting the mind and body daily, because no one can help, as you are getting punched and kicked or the weapon being wielded towards you. You must be in that moment with yourself, feeling the life surge through the physical body as your human instincts kick in. Not that of maiming or harming another but, that of self-preservation and preservation of life. More and more in this world there are very few places where we can truly feel, understand being alive and in control of that life right down to our core. And sometime even shaking within that core from the sheer bliss, release, and relief.
Living and breathing the warrior’s path even till his departure; Guro Rick over the years has shared not just the physical parts of the arts but analyzing and discussing the details of the human psyche. Altering students not just in the flesh, but also in the dark corners that most people do not want to explore. No one is truly losing Rick as an instructor, every time people train they will be able to hear his voice and visualize the motions and hopefully, more importantly, live through his guidance as courageous warriors.
He is not leaving martial arts completely nor will he be leaving his students floundering. They will be taken care of carefully by the new Sifu Mike Lee and Lao Si Mike Wolhfert and the rest of the assistant instructors. This blog was created as a meeting point for us to all to remain together on this journey. I imagine that Rick and I will continue to talk about Martial Arts daily as we do now and continue to train but, I do look forward to what genius may come out of this transformative process.
Living Wherever We Are 